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Getting in shape is difficult for a lot of people. While everyone knows that going to the gym every day or jogging for miles is good, most people really can’t work up the motivation to want to do those types of things. That is why walking has long been recommended as a simple way to get started (or even a complete workout on its own).
For years, the general rule of thumb has been to go for 10,000 steps per day. That is, however, a lot of steps, so it can take a long time. On top of that, there is no real research that shows that 10,000 steps is some magic number that is more beneficial than more or fewer.
One thing you can do to improve the outcomes of your walking, however, is to start practicing a trend that is called “Japanese Walking.”
As the name implies, it was first developed in Japan. It is more technically called interval walking training (IWT) and its benefits are well documented, including in a 2009 study.
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The concept is pretty simple. Rather than just walking at a steady pace for a long time, you walk at a varied pace for shorter periods.
In the study, it is explained like this:
“[I]n 2003 we started to study the effects of IWT on physical fitness for middle-aged and older people, using repeat fast walking above 70 percent peak aerobic capacity for walking for 3 min with intervening slow walking below 40 percent [peak aerobic capacity] at the target of five sets per day, more than four days [per week], for five months.”
So, to put it simply, walk as fast as you are able to walk for three minutes, then slow down and walk at a very slow and easy pace to recover. Repeat this five times per day. Those times don’t necessarily have to be all on one walk, which can make it really easy to work this in the day.
Whether you do it all at once or spread throughout the day, it adds up to around 30 minutes total, which is manageable for most people.
The benefits are impressive. According to a 2024 article, Dr. Kristian Karstoft of the University of Copenhagen found that those who engage in this activity have improved aerobic fitness, better knee joint flexion and extension, reduced blood pressure, and other benefits. Those with type 2 diabetes also have improved blood sugar control compared to people who engage in continuous walking therapy (CWT), which is just going on normal walks.
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On top of not requiring any special equipment or a ton of time, it is a great option for people who may have health or injury problems that make other types of exercise difficult. Even those who can’t walk fast for three minutes can start off at less time and slowly work their way up to that as a goal.
Whether you’re looking to get in shape, or you just want another activity you can add to your day, Japanese walking may be a great option.
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